Two of the biggest bands in rock history had different approaches, but curiously they were friends behind the scenes
Beatles and Rolling Stones are often cited as two of the greatest rock bands of all time. Both provoked true revolutions within the style and even in music as a whole, establishing new standards in different aspects.
However — and as expected — there are clear differences between the two groups. One of them, according to Paul McCartneywas perfectly summarized by Keith Richards.
The eternal Beatle addressed the subject in a 2020 interview with GQ (via Far Out Magazine). On that occasion, he was invited to reflect on how unique his position was in the artistic world. Macca responded, pointing to the Stones guitarist’s statement:
“I always think about that. I keep thinking: ‘my God, what was that?’. The Beatles. Obviously, a lot of people say things too. I remember Keith Richards saying to me: ‘You had four singers, we only had one!’.”
It seems silly, even more so nowadays, but in the 1960s it was quite a difference. Paul extends his explanation:
“Little things like that drive me crazy and I think, ‘Wow, that’s pretty weird.’ And they weren’t just singers: there were four composers. You had me and John [Lennon] as composers, and then George [Harrison] was an incredible composer and so Ringo [Starr] appeared with ‘Octopus’s Garden’ and a few others… isn’t that strange?”
What leaves Paul McCartney most enchanted in this whole story is the fact that the four musicians met and formed a band — even though Ringo Starr joined later and was contacted precisely because of his previous reputation as a great drummer in the region.
“I had a best friend, Ivanwho knew John, so that’s how I met John. I used to take the bus to school and a little boy would get on at the next stop. It was George. So, it was kind of random. And then Ringo was a Dingle guy [área em Liverpool]but we met him in Hamburg [Alemanha] and we thought he was a great drummer. But the idea that all these random people in Liverpool should get together and actually make it work? And look, we were pretty bad at the beginning.”
Beatles and Rolling Stones, in the words of Keith Richards
Keith Richards already had the opportunity to speak publicly about the differences between Beatles and Rolling Stones. In a 2010 interview with NPR (via Igor Miranda website), the guitarist admitted that his band intentionally sought another image in relation to their professional colleagues.
“In terms of image, we made a very clear decision not to be like them. The Beatles were basically a vocal band. They all sang. On one song, John took over the main microphone. In the other it was Paul, then George and sometimes even Ringo. In our case, we had a frontman, a main vocalist.”
Such distinctions even allowed the Beatles and Rolling Stones to be friends behind the scenes — contrary to the media rumor that they were rivals. Liverpool’s Fab Four even wrote their first single for their colleagues: “I Wanna Be Your Man”. Richards points out:
“There was an incredible difference between the Beatles and us. But at the same time, we were there at the same time and dealing with each other. It was a very, very fruitful and great relationship between the Stones and the Beatles. Quite friendly. The competition thing didn’t come into it, at least on our part.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
